MADISON, Wis. -- Authorities are continuing the investigation into the death of a 21-year-old University of Wisconsin-Madison student who was discovered on Wednesday in her West Doty Street apartment.

READ: Slain Woman Remembered As Driven Student With Big Goals | READ: UW Students Concerned About Safety After Slaying

The Dane County coroner's office performed an autopsy on Thursday and confirmed that Brittany Zimmermann, 21, of Marshfield, was a victim of homicide.

According to a news release issued late Thursday afternoon, Dane County Coroner John Stanley said that Zimmermann's death was caused by a series of traumatic injuries, saying that it was the result of "a complexity of traumatic injuries." He said that officials wouldn't elaborate on the type and number of injuries that Zimmermann suffered because of the ongoing investigation.

For most of the day on Thursday, authorities were continuing to comb the Bassett neighborhood near Zimmermann's residence on 500 block of West Doty Street for clues. Officers were questioning neighbors, going to door-to-door in search of more information.

Police had cordoned off part of the street early Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, investigators delayed garbage pickup in the West Doty Street area and were searching nearby garbage bins. Police said that garbage pickup in the 500 blocks of Bassett and Main was stopped for the time being by police as they attempt to search for evidence.

One refuse hauler dumped his load of garbage at a Madison Streets garage facility, and officers in hazmat suits were expected to sift through it, searching for any potential evidence, WISC-TV reported.

Police are also continuing to search the house where her body was found. Her boyfriend found her body in their off-campus apartment in a two-flat house on Wednesday afternoon. Madison police said her boyfriend has been ruled out as a suspect and is cooperating with detectives.

Zimmermann was a UW junior majoring in medical microbiology and immunology.

Police said that Zimmermann's slaying might have been a random act. No suspects have been identified.

Locals Express Concern After Killing

The slaying has frightened some students and downtown Madison residents. Authorities are urging students and residents to be vigilant about their safety.

UW Dean of Students Lori Berquam urged those on campus to take advantage of the safety resources available, including the Safewalk and Saferide programs.

Zimmermann's death is the third unsolved killing in the campus area in less than one year and the second homicide of 2008. Joel Marino, 31, was fatally stabbed at his south side home at about 1 p.m. on Jan. 28. Police haven't ruled out that attack was random. No one has been arrested in that homicide.

The third unsolved slaying occurred last summer, UW-Whitewater student Kelly Nolan, 22, vanished from State Street in late June 2006. Her body was later found in a wooded area of Fitchburg.

UW To Hold Vigil On Sunday

UW-Madison officials are remembering Zimmermann as a driven student who had a bright career in front of her in the field of public health.

UW officials said that a memorial vigil for Zimmermann has been scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Sunday on Library Mall. Berquam will lead the ceremony, along with student representatives from Associated Students of Madison, the Wisconsin Union Directorate and the Union Council, according to a UW news release.

A member of the Dane County's Victim Witness unit is working with Zimmerman's family and she will be keeping them posted on developments in the case, WISC-TV reported.

Authorities said that anyone with information about Zimmermann's death should contact Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014.

Stay tuned to WISC-TV and Channel 3000 for continuing coverage.

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